State by State Guide to Laws That Prohibit

Discrimination Against Transgender People

I. Introduction
Historically, transgender people have faced serious and pervasive discrimination in
many aspects of public life, either because their gender identity doesn’t match the sex
they were assigned at birth, or because they are perceived as failing to conform with
stereotypical expectations of sex-appropriate appearance, dress, and behavior. In the
past ten years, however, transgender people have been increasingly successful in
obtaining legal protections against discrimination at work, at school, in places of public
accommodation, and in other areas.
There is still no federal law that prohibits discrimination based on gender identity in
employment1 or public accommodations, although Congress recently enacted
protections against hate crimes based on gender identity.2 Furthermore, federal laws
that prohibit discrimination based on disability expressly exclude conditions related to
gender identity.3 While federal courts in the 1970s through the 1990s generally denied
sex-discrimination claims brought by transgender people,4 in recent years at least three
federal circuit courts of appeal – the First, Sixth, and Ninth Circuits – as well as a

1
The proposed Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), pending in Congress, would prohibit
discrimination in employment based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
2
The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act (2009), enacted as a rider to the
National Defense Authorization Act for 2010 (H.R. 2647), codified at 18 U.S.C.A. § 249.
3
See Rehabilitation Act, 29 U.S.C.A. § 705(20)(F)(i); Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C.A. §
12211(b)(1). Both Acts exclude “transsexualism” and “gender identity disorders not resulting from physical
impairments” from the list of protected disabilities.
4
See, e.g., Ulane v. Eastern Airlines, Inc., 742 F.2d 1081 (7th Cir. 1984) (holding that “the words of Title
VII do not outlaw discrimination against a person who has a sexual identity disorder, i.e., … a person born
with a female body who believes herself to be a male”); Holloway v. Arthur Andersen & Co., 566 F.2d 659
(9th Cir. 1977) (same) James v. Ranch Mart Hardware, Inc., 881 F. Supp. 478 (D. Kan. 1995) (same).

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number of federal district courts have held that transgender or gender non-conforming
people are protected under federal sex-discrimination laws such as Title VII.5
At the state level, however, fifteen states and the District of Columbia have passed laws
that offer explicit protections for transgender people. This publication is a guide to those
state laws that expressly prohibit discrimination based on transgender status, gender
identity, or gender expression.6
II. How Statutes Define Transgender Status
States have used three general approaches to provide protection against discrimination
for transgender people:

• In Iowa, Maryland, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Rhode Island,
Vermont, and the District of Columbia, the non-discrimination statutes explicitly
include “gender identity” as a protected characteristic.

• In Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, Maine, Oregon, Washington the non-

discrimination laws prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation, and
include gender identity or expression within the statutory definition of sexual
orientation.

• California offers protection to transgender people by including gender identity or

expression within the statutory definition of sex for purposes of its non-

5
See, e.g., Rosa v. Park West Bank & Trust Co., 214 F.3d 213 (1st Cir. 2000) (reinstating Equal Credit
Opportunity Act claim on behalf of transgender plaintiff who alleged that he was denied an opportunity to
apply for a loan because he was not dressed in “masculine attire”); Schwenk v. Hartford, 204 F.3d 1187
(9th Cir. 2000) (holding that transsexual prisoner could state a claim under Gender Motivated Violence
Act, because “[d]iscrimination because one fails to act in the way expected of a man or woman is
forbidden” under the proscription of discrimination based on sex); Smith v. City of Salem, Ohio, 378 F.3d
566, 94 (6th Cir. 2004) (holding that transsexual city fire department employee stated a valid sex-
discrimination claim under either Title VII or the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment);
Barnes v. City of Cincinnati, 401 F.3d 729 (6th Cir. 2005) (holding that transsexual police officer
“established that he was a member of a protected class” for purposes of Title VII sex-discrimination claim
“by alleging discrimination . . . for his failure to conform to sex stereotypes”). See generally National
Center for Lesbian Rights, Federal Cases Addressing Whether Discrimination on the Basis of Gender
Non-Conformity and/or Transgender Status Is a Form of Discrimination Based on Sex, at
http://www.nclrights.org/site/DocServer/Federal_Cases_Addressing_Whether_Discrimination_on_the_B.p
df?docID=3661.
6
It should be noted that courts and administrative bodies in several states have also interpreted sex and
disability anti-discrimination laws to apply to transgender people. See, e.g., Enriquez v. West Jersey
Health Systems, 342 N.J. Super. 501 (N.J. App. Div. 2001) (concluding that transsexual people are
protected by state law prohibitions against sex and disability discrimination); Lie v. Sky Pub. Corp., 15
Mass. L. Rptr. 412 (Mass. Super. Ct. 2002) (holding that a transsexual employee had stated a viable sex
discrimination and disability discrimination claim under state law). For a comprehensive discussion of
state court and administrative decisions applying sex and disability discrimination to transgender plaintiffs,
see National Center for Lesbian Rights, Cases Recognizing Protection for Transgender People Under
State Sex and Disability Discrimination Laws, at
http://www.nclrights.org/site/DocServer/state_cases091004.pdf?docID=1203.

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 discrimination laws. Hawaii similarly prohibits discrimination based on “sex,
including gender identity or expression.”
III. Types of Protections Offered
Protections offered by states vary widely, encompassing a range of situations including
working or applying for jobs, renting and buying housing, shopping or eating at
businesses that are open to the public, applying for credit credit, and attending school.
A. Employment
Twelve states (California, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Minnesota, New Jersey, New
Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington) and the District of Columbia
prohibit discrimination against transgender people in employment. These laws protect
employees and job applicants from harassment, demotion, dismissal, or other unfair
employment practices based on the person’s transgender status or gender
nonconformity. In some cases, these laws can help ensure that a transgender person
can use the restroom consistent with his or her gender while at work. Many
employment non-discrimination statutes prohibit employers or potential employers from
requesting information about an employee or applicant’s transgender status, and most
laws protect against retaliation for opposing discriminatory practices.
Employment non-discrimination statutes often include labor organizations and unions,
and three states (California, Vermont and Washington) include expressly include labor
practices as a separate category of business activity subject to non-discrimination laws.
These laws protect transgender employees who wish to participate in union activities,
such as joining organized unions. Effectively, laws against discrimination in union
activities ensure that transgender people have equal access to the bargaining power,
increased pay, and better benefits that can come with union membership.
B. Public Accommodations

Thirteen states (California, Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Minnesota, New
Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington) and the District
of Columbia protect transgender people from discrimination in public accommodations.
Although the exact definition of a “public accommodation” varies from state to state, a
wide variety of businesses are typically covered by such statutes, including restaurants,
hotels, theaters, and retail stores. These private businesses that are open to the public
may not discriminate based on a person’s transgender status. Private clubs and
religious organizations, however, are often exempt from the reach of public
accommodations laws.
C. Housing and Real Estate
Thirteen states (California, Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Minnesota, New
Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington) protect
transgender people from discrimination in housing. These laws require that a tenant or
homebuyer’s transgender status not be used as a basis for refusing– or offering less
favorable terms in – leases, mortgages, homeowner’s insurance, and home sales.

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Many housing and real estate non-discrimination statutes prohibit landlords, sellers, and
real estate brokers from requesting information about a tenant or homebuyer’s
transgender status.
D. Credit
Seven states (Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Minnesota, New Mexico, Vermont, and Washington)
protect transgender people from discrimination in the extension of credit. This means
that lenders may not refuse or offer less favorable terms of credit to a person because
of his or her transgender status. These laws help protect transgender consumers in a
number of situations, such as purchasing an automobile or procuring store credit
ordinarily available to all customers.
E. Schools
Ten states (California, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Minnesota, New Jersey, Oregon,
Vermont and Washington) and the District of Columbia have laws specifically prohibiting
gender identity discrimination in public schools and, in some cases, private schools that
receive state funding. In these states, school officials may not harass, or allow others to
harass, a student based on the student’s gender identity. In addition to those states,
Maryland and North Carolina require that school districts have a policy against
harassment and bullying based on a list of characteristics that includes gender identity.
Increasingly, schools and school districts have also adopted policies protecting
transgender students from discrimination, providing that transgender students be
allowed to use restrooms and locker rooms and participate in sports in accordance with
their gender identity.7
IV. Statutes by State

California
California’s non-discrimination laws rely on a definition of “sex” that includes “gender
identity and gender related appearance and behavior whether or not stereotypically
associated with the person’s assigned sex at birth.”8 This definition is used by
California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA),9 which prohibits discrimination
based on gender identity by employers, labor organizations, and apprenticeship training
programs.10 The law provides specifically that, while employers may impose gender-
based dress and grooming standards, an employee must be permitted to appear or
dress in a manner consistent with the employee’s gender identity.11

7
See the list of K-12 school districts that have enacted non-discrimination policies that include gender
identity and expression compiled by the Transgender Law & Policy Institute, at
http://www.transgenderlaw.org/college/index.htm#schools.
8
Cal. Penal Code § 422.56.
9
Cal. Gov’t Code § 12926(p).
10
Cal. Gov’t Code § 12940.
11
Cal Gov’t Code § 12949.

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FEHA also prohibits gender identity discrimination or harassment related to renting or
selling housing.12 California’s prohibition of gender identity discrimination in housing
extends to public or private land use practices,13 real estate listing services,14 and
includes discrimination based on perceived transgender status or association with a
transgender person.15
California’s Unruh Civil Rights Act prohibits sex discrimination in public
accommodations16 and defines “sex” to include gender identity.17 The Act is written
broadly and states that “[a]ll persons within the jurisdiction of this state are free and
equal, and no matter what their sex, . . . are entitled to the full and equal
accommodations, advantages, facilities, privileges, or services in all business
establishments of every kind whatsoever,”18 although that broad definition has been
narrowed somewhat by the state’s courts.19 The Unruh Act has been held to apply to
doctor’s offices and hospitals that serve the public,20 which should help protect
transgender people from some types of discrimination in accessing health care.
California offers protection against discrimination to transgender and gender
nonconforming students who attend a school that receives or benefits from state
assistance, or enrolls students who receive financial aid.21 The prohibition against
discrimination applies to all programs and activities conducted by the school.22
However, the school non-discrimination statute does not apply to schools controlled by
religious institutions if application of the law would violate the tenets of that religious
institution.23

12
Cal. Gov’t Code § 12955.
13
Cal. Gov’t Code § 12955(l).
14
Cal. Gov’t Code § 12955(j).
15
Cal. Gov’t Code § 12955(m).
16
Cal. Civ. Code § 51(b).
17
Cal. Civ. Code § 51(e)(4).
18
Cal. Civ. Code § 51(b).
19
See, e.g., Curran v. Mt. Diablo Council of the Boy Scouts of Am., 17 Cal.4th 670 (1998) (holding that
the Boy Scouts of America is not a “business establishment” for purposes of the Unruh Act, even though
the organization engaged in some business transactions with nonmembers on a regular basis); Doe v.
Cal. Lutheran High Sch. Ass’n, 170 Cal.App.4th 828 (Cal. App. 2009) (private religious high school is not
a “business establishment” subject to the Unruh Act).
20
See North Coast Women’s Care Med. Group v. San Diego County Sup. Ct., 44 Cal.4th 1145 (2008)
(medical group providing services to the public is a “business establishment” under the Unruh Act).
21
Cal. Educ. Code §§ 210.7 (“sex” includes gender and gender identity), 220 (prohibiting discrimination in
schools), 51500 (prohibiting instruction or school-sponsored activities that “promote[] a discriminatory
bias” based on gender identity).
22
Cal. Educ. Code § 220.
23
Cal. Educ. Code § 221.

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Finally, California also prohibits discrimination based on gender identity in all programs
or activities that are conducted by state agencies or that receive state funding.24
Colorado
Colorado defines “sexual orientation” to include “gender identity,” and includes both
actual and perceived identity.25 Colorado’s non-discrimination statutes provide
protection against discrimination in employment,26 labor organizations,27 housing,28
public accommodations,29 and schools.30 Prohibited discrimination in the context of
schools includes school enrollment decisions31 and harassment of or discrimination
against students by school employees and other students.32
“[A]ny public building . . . or public facility of any kind” constitutes a public
accommodation under Colorado law,33 but places principally used for religious purposes
– such as churches, mosques, and synagogues – are exempt.34 Hospitals and clinics
are expressly included in the definition of “public accommodation,”35 which may offer
protections to transgender people when accessing healthcare. Gender identity
discrimination by a place of public accommodation is a crime under Colorado law,
punishable by up to one year in jail and a $300 fine.36
Additional resources: http://www.transgenderlaw.org/ndlaws/ColoradoFAQ.pdf
Hawaii
Hawaii provides protection against gender identity discrimination in public
accommodations by prohibiting discrimination based on “sex, including gender identity
or expression.”37 “Gender identity or expression” is defined broadly by statute to include

24
Cal. Gov’t Code § 11135.
25
Colo. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§ 2-4-401(13.5) (definition for all Colorado statutes), 24-34-401(7.5) (definition
for anti-discrimination statutes).
26
Colo. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 24-34-402.
27
Colo. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 24-34-402(c).
28
Colo. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 24-34-502.
29
Colo. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 24-34-601.
30
Colo. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§ 12-59-106(1)(s) (private occupational schools), 22-30.5-104(3) (charter
schools), 22-30.5-507(3) (institute charter schools), 22-32-109 (public schools), 22-38-104(1)(d) (pilot
schools).
31
Colo. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 22-32-109(1)(ll)(II).
32
Colo. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 22-32-109(1)(ll)(I).
33
Colo. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 24-34-601(1).
34
Colo. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 24-34-601(1).
35
Colo. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 24-34-601(1).
36
Colo. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 24-34-602(2).
37
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 489-3.

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gender-related appearance, expression or self-identity, regardless of whether the
appearance, expression, or self-identity is traditionally associated with the person’s sex
at birth.38 Hawaii’s definition of “public accommodation” is fairly typical and includes an
illustrative list of businesses traditionally considered public accommodations: hotels,
restaurants, retail stores, bars, clubs, theaters, parks and barber shops.39 Like
Colorado, the definition specifically includes clinics, hospitals, and offices of healthcare
providers.40
Hawaii also prohibits gender identity discrimination in real property transactions.41
However, religious institutions are authorized to discriminate on the basis of gender
identity when renting or leasing property used for church purposes and when renting
student housing for “religiously affiliated institutions of higher education,” when the
housing is for students, or on school property.42
Illinois
For purposes of Illinois’s non-discrimination statutes, “sexual orientation” includes
“actual or perceived . . . gender-related identity, whether or not traditionally associated
with the person’s designated sex at birth.”43 Illinois prohibits gender identity
discrimination in employment, public accommodations, real estate transactions, and
access to financial credit.44 Non-sectarian schools are considered public
accommodations under Illinois law.45
The employment section of the non-discrimination statute also prohibits anti-
transgender discrimination or harassment by labor unions and employment agencies.46
However, the law exempts religious institutions from the definition of employers subject
to the non-discrimination laws.47
Real estate transactions covered by Illinois’s anti-discrimination statute include the sale
of real property, the rental or lease of housing accommodations, real estate listing
services, and loans or financial services related to purchasing, selling, or improving real
property.48 Real estate brokers, “whether licensed or not” are subject to the non-

38
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 489-2.
39
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 489-2.
40
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 489-2.
41
Haw. Rev. Stat. §§ 515-3 (real property transactions), 515-5 (financial assistance related to real
property), 515-6 (restrictive covenants based on gender identity prohibited).
42
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 515-4.
43
775 Ill. Comp. Stat. 5/1-103(O-1).
44
775 Ill. Comp. Stat. 5/1-102.
45
775 Ill. Comp. Stat. 5/5-101(A)(11).
46
775 Ill. Comp. Stat. 5/2-101(D).
47
775 Ill. Comp. Stat. 5/2-101(B)(2).
48
775 Ill. Comp. Stat. 5/3-101.

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discrimination statutes, as long as the broker lists, sells, purchases, rents, leases, or
exchanges real property.49 Many private sales of single family homes, however, are
specifically exempt from the real estate non-discrimination statutes.50 Owner-occupied
residential buildings with four or fewer units are expressly permitted to engage in gender
identity discrimination in rental decisions.51
Iowa
Iowa’s Civil Rights Act52 offers transgender people protection from discrimination in
employment,53 housing,54 public accommodations,55 financial credit,56 and education.57
The Act expressly includes protections against discrimination based on “gender
identity,” defined as the “gender-related identity of a person, regardless of the person’s
assigned sex at birth.”58
Iowa’s non-discrimination laws apply to employers and to labor unions.59 However, they
do not apply to businesses that employ four or fewer workers, and do not provide
protection for employees who provide personal services or work in the employer’s
home.60
Religious institutions, including education facilities, societies, and incorporations, may
use religion, sexual orientation, and gender identity to discriminate in employment or
public accommodations “when such qualifications are related to a bona fide religious
purpose.”61
Under Iowa’s housing anti-discrimination law, a person is protected from discrimination
based on the gender identity of any guests he or she may have on the premises as
friends, relatives, or visitors.62 The housing anti-discrimination laws do not apply to

49
775 Ill. Comp. Stat. 5/3-101.
50
775 Ill. Comp. Stat. 5/3-106(A) (private sale of single family home exempt if owner has interest in less
than three single family homes at the time of sale, owner or owner’s family member was last occupant,
and owner did not advertise an intent to discriminate in the sale of the home).
51
775 Ill. Comp. Stat. 5/3-106(H-1).
52
Iowa Code Ann. § 216.1 et seq.
53
Iowa Code Ann. § 216.6.
54
Iowa Code Ann. § 216.8.
55
Iowa Code Ann. § 216.7.
56
Iowa Code Ann. § 216.10.
57
Iowa Code Ann. § 216.9.
58
Iowa Code Ann. § 216.2(10).
59
Iowa Code Ann. § 216.6(1)(b).
60
Iowa Code Ann. § 216.6(6).
61
Iowa Code Ann. § 216.6(6) (employment); Iowa Code Ann. § 216.7(2) (public accommodations).
62
Iowa Code Ann. § 216.7(1)(d).

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owner-occupied buildings with four or fewer units63 and situations where an owner rents
rooms in his or her home, if he or she rents four or fewer rooms in the home.64
Iowa’s statute prohibiting discrimination in education applies to all educational
institutions, except that a bona fide religious institution may use religion, sexual
orientation, and gender identity as a qualification related to a bona fide religious
purpose.65
Protections against gender identity discrimination in credit under Iowa law apply to
securing life, health, or accident insurance.66
Maryland
Maryland requires all school districts to adopt a policy that prohibits harassment and
bullying and report incidents of bullying and harassment to the Department of
Education.67 “Harassment and bullying” is defined as conduct “that creates a hostile
educational environment by substantially interfering with a student's educational
benefits, opportunities, or performance, or with a student's physical or psychological
well-being and is . . . motivated by an actual or a perceived personal characteristic
including . . . gender identity.”68
Maine
In its Human Rights Act, Maine includes “gender identity or expression” in the definition
of sexual orientation.69 The Human Rights Act prohibits sexual orientation
discrimination in employment, housing, public accommodation, credit and education,70
while a separate statute prohibits sexual orientation discrimination by businesses that
contract with the State to supply goods.71
In addition to prohibiting employment discrimination, the Act prohibits employers from
working with an employment agency that the employer knows or has reason to know
discriminates.72 Similarly, employment agencies are prohibited from carrying out an

63
Iowa Code Ann. §§ 216.12(1)(b) and (e).
64
Iowa Code Ann. § 216.12(1)(c).
65
Iowa code Ann. § 216.9(2).
66
Iowa Code Ann. § 216.10(1)(c).
67
Md. Code Ann. Educ. § 7-424.
68
Md. Code. Ann. Educ. § 7-424(a).
69
Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. tit. 5, § 4553(9-C).
70
Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. tit. 5, §§ 4552, 4602(4).
71
Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. tit. 5, § 1825-L.
72
Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. tit. 5, § 4572(1)(A).

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employer’s discriminatory preferences.73 Labor organizations are prohibited from gender
identity discrimination in membership and apprenticeship programs.74
The Act’s definition of employer is broad: “Employer” is defined as “any person in the
State employing any number of employees, whatever the place of employment of the
employees[.]”75 The statute’s religious exception is narrow, providing that the term
“‘[e]mployer’ does not include a religious or fraternal corporation or association, not
organized for private profit and in fact not conducted for private profit, with respect to
employment of its members of the same religion, sect or fraternity, except for purposes
of disability-related discrimination, in which case the corporation or association is
considered to be an employer.”76 This appears to create an exception for discrimination
based on religion, which does not extend to disability discrimination. The exception
does not appear to address other types of prohibited discrimination.
Maine’s housing non-discrimination laws also have narrow exceptions, and apply to all
housing-related transactions except “A. The rental of a one-family unit of a 2-family
dwelling, one unit of which is occupied by the owner; B. The rental of not more than 4
rooms of a one-family dwelling which is occupied by the owner; or C. The rental of any
dwelling owned, controlled or operated for other than a commercial purpose, by a
religious corporation to its membership unless such membership is restricted on
account of race, color or national origin.”77 Transgender people in Maine thus may face
lawful discrimination when renting a duplex or a room in a home, or when renting from a
religious organization.
Maine prohibits gender identity discrimination in many aspects of education, including
requiring equal opportunities in athletic programs.78 A 2009 decision by the Maine
Human Rights Commission held that, under the Human Rights Act, a transgender
student must be permitted to use the restroom that is consistent with her gender
identity.79 Education facilities owned, operated, or controlled by religious entities,
however, are specifically exempt from the prohibitions on sexual orientation and gender
identity discrimination.80
Minnesota
The Minnesota Human Rights Act includes protections against gender identity
discrimination by defining sexual orientation to include “having or being perceived as

73
Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. tit. 5, § 4572(1)(B).
74
Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. tit. 5, § 4572(1)(C).
75
Me. Stat. Rev. Ann. tit. 5, § 4553(4).
76
Me. Stat. Rev. Ann. tit. 5, § 4553(4).
77
Me. Stat. Rev. Ann. tit. 5, § 4553(6).
78
Me. Stat. Rev. Ann. tit. 5, § 4602(4)(B).
79
Parent of Minor Student o/b/o Minor Student (Orono) v. School Union 87 (Maine Human Rts. Comm’n,
July 1, 2009), available at http://www.maine.gov/mhrc/Investigation/RG/20090629_PAED08-0239.pdf.
80
Me. Stat. Rev. Ann. tit. 5, § 4602.

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having a self-image or identity not traditionally associated with one's biological
maleness or femaleness.”81 The Act then prohibits sexual orientation discrimination in
employment,82 including labor organizations,83 real property,84 public accommodation,85
schools,86 and credit.87
The employment provisions of the Act are buttressed by a prohibition against requiring
an applicant to furnish information regarding sexual orientation, or submit to a physical
examination unrelated to concerns about national security88 or fitness to perform
essential job functions.89 The Minnesota Supreme Court has held that despite the
Human Rights Act’s prohibition of gender identity discrimination in employment, an
employer may impose a rule limiting restroom usage based on biological or anatomical
sex, rather than gender identity.90
The real estate non-discrimination statutes do not apply to gender identity discrimination
in the rental of a room in a home91 or owner-occupied duplexes.92
The education non-discrimination statute is broad, and prohibits gender identity
discrimination in “any manner” that interferes with a student’s “full utilization of or benefit
from any educational institution, or the services rendered thereby.”93
In addition to public accommodation and credit anti-discrimination laws, Minnesota
specifically enumerates “business discrimination” as unlawful, and thereby prohibits “a
person engaged in trade or business or in the provision of a service . . . to intentionally
refuse to do business with, to refuse to contract with, or to discriminate in the basic
terms, conditions, or performance of the contract because of a person’s . . . sexual
orientation . . . unless the alleged refusal or discrimination is because of a legitimate
business purpose.”94

81
Minn. Stat. Ann. § 363A.03, subd. 44.
82
Minn. Stat. Ann. § 363A.08, subd. 2.
83
Minn. Stat. Ann. § 363A.08, subd. 1.
84
Minn. Stat. Ann. § 363A.09.
85
Minn. Stat. Ann. § 363A.11, subd. 1.
86
Minn. Stat. Ann. § 363A.13.
87
Minn. Stat. Ann. § 363A.16, subd. 1.
88
Minn. Stat. Ann. § 363A.08, subd. 4(1).
89
Minn. Stat. Ann. § 363A.20, subd. 8.
90
Goins v. West Group, 635 N.W.2d 717 (Minn. 2001).
91
Minn. Stat. Ann. § 363A.21, subd. 1(2).
92
Minn. Stat. Ann. § 363A.21, subd. 1(3).
93
Minn. Stat. Ann. § 363A.13, subd. 1
94
Minn. Stat. Ann. § 363A.17.

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Minnesota’s Human Rights Act has a number of exemptions for religious groups and
private organizations. The non-discrimination statutes do not apply to employment
discrimination by religious organizations on the basis of religion or sexual orientation
when that religion or sexual orientation constitutes a “bona fide occupational
qualification.”95 Religious organizations also appear to be exempt from most other
provisions of the Act prohibiting gender identity discrimination, at least when engaging
in religious activities: Any religious organization, or educational institution operated by a
religious organization, may discriminate based on sexual orientation in “education,
employment, housing and real property, or use of facilities.”96 This exemption does not
apply to “secular business activities engaged in by the religious association, . . . the
conduct of which is unrelated to the religious and educational purposes for which it is
organized.”97
The Human Rights Act also exempts from its purview discrimination by nonpublic
service organizations – such as scouting organizations or boys’ and girls’ clubs – on the
basis of sexual orientation or gender identity when the organization acts either as an
employer or as a public accommodation.98
New Jersey
New Jersey’s Law Against Discrimination defines gender identity as “having or being
perceived as having a gender related identity or expression whether or not
stereotypically associated with a person's assigned sex at birth.”99 Gender identity
discrimination is prohibited in employment, housing, and public accommodations.100
Transgender youth are protected from harassment or bullying in school based on
gender identity.101 Places of public accommodation and educational institutions which
reasonably, and therefore permissibly, limit membership to members of one sex are
allowed to do so, “provided individuals shall be admitted based on their gender identity
or expression.”102
Employment discrimination in New Jersey may be allowed under exceptions to the law
providing that “it shall not be an unlawful employment practice for a club exclusively
social or fraternal to use club membership as a uniform qualification for employment, or
for a religious association or organization to utilize religious affiliation as a uniform
qualification in the employment of clergy, religious teachers or other employees
engaged in the religious activities of the association or organization, or in following the

95
Minn. Stat. Ann. § 363A.20, subd. 2.
96
Minn. Stat. Ann. § 363A.26.
97
Minn. Stat. Ann. § 363A.26.
98
Minn. Stat. Ann. §§ 363A.20, subd. 3; 363A.24, subd. 1.
99
N.J. Stat. Ann. § 10:5-5(rr).
100
N.J. Stat. Ann. § 10:5-4.
101
N.J. Stat. Ann. § 18A:37-14.
102
N.J. Stat. Ann. § 10:5-12(f)(1).

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tenets of its religion in establishing and utilizing criteria for employment of an
employee.”103
All contractors and subcontractors performing work for a public contract are prohibited
from engaging in gender identity discrimination in New Jersey.104 If a contractor or
subcontractor violates that statute, the contracting public agency may terminate the
contract, and money due may be forfeited.105
The provisions of the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination relating to employment do
not apply to individuals who provide domestic services.106 Similarly, the provisions
relating to housing discrimination do not apply in cases where the occupants of a single
family residence rent out a single room in the residence.107
New Jersey’s public accommodation non-discrimination laws do not apply to “distinctly
private” clubs or organizations, or to educational facilities maintained by bona fide
religious or sectarian institutions.108 Religious institutions also may discriminate in real
estate transactions where such discrimination is intended by the organization to
“promote the religious principles for which it is maintained.”109
New Mexico
The New Mexico Human Rights Act defines gender identity broadly to include “a
person's self-perception, or perception of that person by another, of the person's identity
as a male or female based upon the person's appearance, behavior or physical
characteristics that are in accord with or opposed to the person’s physical anatomy,
chromosomal sex or sex at birth.”110 The Act prohibits discrimination based on gender
identity in employment,111 labor organizations,112 public accommodations,113 housing,114
and credit, including credit for “acquisition, construction, rehabilitation, repair or
maintenance of any housing accommodation or real property” and credit for purchase of
consumer goods.115

103
N.J. Stat. Ann. § 10:5-12.
104
N.J. Stat. Ann. § 10:2-1.
105
N.J. Stat. Ann. § 10:2-1.
106
N.J. Stat. Ann. § 10:5-5(f).
107
N.J. Stat. Ann. § 10:5-5(u).
108
N.J. Stat. Ann. § 10:5-5(l).
109
N.J. Stat. Ann. § 10:5-5(n).
110
N.M. Stat. Ann. § 28-1-2(Q).
111
N.M. Stat. Ann. § 28-1-7(A).
112
N.M. Stat. Ann. § 28-1-7(B).
113
N.M. Stat. Ann. § 28-1-7(F).
114
N.M. Stat. Ann. § 28-1-7(G).
115
N.M. Stat. Ann. § 28-1-7(H).

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Owners of single-family homes may discriminate in the sale, lease, sublease, or renting
of the single-family home, so long as the owner has an interest in no more than three
such single-family homes.116 Owner-occupied buildings with four units or less are also
exempt from the New Mexico Human Rights Act.117
Religious institutions may discriminate in admission and real estate decisions in order to
promote the organization’s religious principles.118 Religious organizations are expressly
permitted to discriminate based on sexual orientation and gender identity in employment
and renting practices.119 However, the religious organization’s other activities may be
subject to the laws against sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination.120
North Carolina
North Carolina law protects students and school employees from bullying or harassment
based on gender identity,121 and requires school employees to report incidents of
harassment or bullying observed by the employee.122 School districts in North Carolina
are required to adopt policies against bullying and harassment that include gender
identity as an impermissible basis for harassing or bullying behavior.123
Oregon
Oregon defines the term “sexual orientation” in all of its statutes as “actual or perceived
heterosexuality, homosexuality, bisexuality or gender identity, regardless of whether the
individual's gender identity, appearance, expression or behavior differs from that
traditionally associated with the individual’s sex at birth.”124 As such, any non-
discrimination provisions that provide protection on the basis of sexual orientation also
include protection for transgender individuals.
Oregon’s Equality Act prohibits gender identity discrimination in employment, including
discrimination by labor organizations;125 recruitment, selection and promotion of state

116
N.M. Stat. Ann. § 28-1-9(A).
117
N.M. Stat. Ann. § 28-1-9(D).
118
N.M. Stat. Ann § 28-1-9(B).
119
N.M. Stat. Ann. § 28-1-9(C).
120
N.M. Stat. Ann. § 28-1-9(C) (“[T]he provisions of the Human Rights Act with respect to sexual
orientation and gender identity shall apply to any other: (1) for-profit activities of a religious or
denominational institution or religious organization subject to the provisions of Section 511(a) of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended; or (2) nonprofit activities of a religious or denominational
institution or religious organization subject to the provisions of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986, as amended[.]”).
121
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 115C-407.15(b).
122
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 115C-407.15(d).
123
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 115C-407.16.
124
Or. Rev. Stat. § 174.100(6).
125
Or. Rev. Stat. § 659A.030.

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employees;126 access to public accommodations;127 real estate transactions;128 and in
public schools.129
In addition to these commonly found protections, Oregon also protects transgender
people from discrimination in the context of serving as foster parents;130 in the provision of
care and services in state institutions, including schools and Department of Corrections
facilities;131 when residents or visitors in continuing care retirement communities;132 in
alcohol and drug abuse diversion programs;133 in adult foster homes;134 in community
service programs hosted by a community action agency;135 in making life settlement
contracts;136 and with respect to the opportunity to serve on a jury.137 Additionally,
government bodies in Oregon may not hold meetings in a location that engages in sexual
orientation discrimination, including gender identity discrimination.138
Oregon’s housing non-discrimination laws do not apply to the lease or rental of rooms in
owner-occupied single-family residences.139
While Oregon has many explicit protections at the state level against sexual orientation
discrimination, it forbids political subdivisions from passing or enforcing additional
enactments that grant rights or single out individuals on the basis of sexual orientation,
including gender identity.140
Rhode Island
Rhode Island defines “gender identity” as “a person's actual or perceived gender, as
well as a person's gender identity, gender-related self image, gender-related

126
Or. Rev. Stat. § 240.306(1).
127
Or. Rev. Stat. § 659A.403.
128
Or. Rev. Stat. § 659A.421 (sale, rental, or lease of property); Or. Rev. Stat. § 93.270 (prohibition
against restrictive covenants that discriminate based on gender identity).
129
Or. Rev. Stat. § 659.850(2) (publicly funded activities in public elementary and secondary schools and
community colleges); Or. Rev. Stat. § 338.125(3) (admission to public charter schools); 339.351(d)
(prohibition against bullying or harassment based on gender identity).
130
Or. Rev. Stat. § 418.648(10).
131
Or. Rev. Stat. § 179.750(2).
132
Or. Rev. Stat. § 101.115(3).
133
Or. Rev. Stat. § 430.550.
134
Or. Rev. Stat. § 443.739(19).
135
Or. Rev. Stat. § 458.505(4)(h).
136
Or. Rev. Stat. § 744.382(4).
137
Or. Rev. Stat. § 10.030(1).
138
Or. Rev. Stat. § 192.630(3).
139
Or. Rev. Stat. § 659A.421(8).
140
Or. Rev. Stat § 659.870(1).

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appearance, or gender-related expression, whether or not that gender identity, gender-
related self image, gender-related appearance, or gender-related expression is different
from that traditionally associated with the person's sex at birth.”141 Gender identity
discrimination is prohibited in Rhode Island in public accommodations,142 employment,
including labor organizations143 and state employees,144 and housing.145
State agencies must administer programs equally, and state facilities may not be used
in furtherance of any discriminatory practice.146 Similarly, educational programs and
activities run by state agencies are prohibited from engaging in gender identity
discrimination.147
Employers are prohibited from requesting information pertaining to gender identity, or
requiring an employee to furnish a record of gender identity.148 State agencies,
including educational institutions, that provide employment referral or placement
services for public or private employees must provide those services in a
nondiscriminatory manner.149 State licensing agencies are also prohibited from
engaging in gender identity discrimination, as are all businesses that are licensed or
chartered by the state,150 including the Rhode Island Veterans’ Home.151
Religious organizations are not permitted to discriminate in housing by favoring
members of the religion, if “membership in the religion is restricted on account of sex,
sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, race, color, or national origin or
disability.”152 Landlords of owner-occupied buildings with three units or fewer are
expressly permitted to discriminate based on “gender identity or expression.”153
Vermont
For purposes of Vermont’s statutory scheme, “gender identity” is expressly defined as
“an individual’s actual or perceived gender identity, or gender-related characteristics
intrinsically related to an individual's gender or gender-identity, regardless of the

141
R.I. Gen. Laws § 11-24-2.1.
142
R.I. Gen. Laws § 11-24-2.
143
R.I. Gen. Laws 1956 § 28-5-7.
144
R.I. Gen. Laws 1956 § 28-5.1-4(a).
145
R.I. Gen. Laws 1956 §§ 34-37-4 (housing), 34-37-5.4 (residential real estate transactions).
146
R.I. Gen. Laws 1956 § 28-5.1-7(a).
147
R.I. Gen. Laws 1956 § 28-5.1-8.
148
R.I. Gen. Laws 1956 § 28-5-7(4).
149
R.I. Gen. Laws 1956 § 28-5.1-9.
150
R.I. Gen. Laws 1956 § 28-5.1-14.
151
R.I. Gen. Laws 1956 § 30-24-10(c).
152
R.I. Gen. Laws 1956 § 34-37-4.2(a).
153
R.I. Gen. Laws 1956 § 34-37-4.5.

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individual's assigned sex at birth.”154 Vermont provides transgender people protection
from discrimination in public accommodations,155 housing,156 employment,157 including
labor organizations158 and public employees,159 education,160 insurance,161 and credit.162
Vermont’s employment non-discrimination statute also contains a provision allowing
employers to establish and enforce “reasonable workplace policies to address matters
related to employees’ gender identity, including permitting an employer to establish a
reasonable dress code for the workplace.”163
Religious institutions in Vermont are exempt from the employment non-discrimination
statutes, and are thus allowed to engage in gender identity discrimination, in order to
give preference to persons of the same denomination or if the particular employment
action is “calculated by the organization to promote the religious principles for which it is
established or maintained.”164 Religious organizations may also discriminate in favor of
members of the religion when selling, renting, or offering for occupancy “dwellings which
it owns or operates for other than a commercial purpose,” but only if the preference for
members of the religion is stated in the organization’s written policies and
procedures.165
Washington
Washington state includes “gender expression and identity” in its definition of sexual
orientation in the state’s Law Against Discrimination.166 In that definition, gender identity
includes, “having or being perceived as having a gender identity, self-image,
appearance, behavior, or expression, whether or not that gender identity, self-image,
appearance, behavior, or expression is different from that traditionally associated with
the sex assigned to that person at birth.”167 Sexual orientation discrimination, and by
154
Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 1, § 144.
155
Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 9, § 4502(a).
156
Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 9, § 4503.
157
Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 21, § 495(a).
158
Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 3, §§ 963 (state employee organizations), 1028 (judiciary employee organizations);
Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 21, §§ 495(a), 1621 (union membership), 1726 (municipal employees).
159
Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 3, § 961(6) (state employees); 3 Vt. Stat. Ann. § 1026(6) (judiciary employees).
160
Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 16, §§ 11, 565.
161
Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 8, §§ 4724(7)(B) &(C).
162
Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 8, § 10403 (credit cards, loans, mortgages, and commercial loans); Vt. Stat. Ann. tit.
9, §§ 2362 (motor vehicle retail installment contracts), 2410 (retail installment contracts), 2488
(agricultural finance leases).
163
Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 21, § 495(g).
164
Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 21, § 495(e).
165
Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 9, § 4504(5).
166
Wash. Rev. Code § 49.60.040(26).
167
Wash. Rev. Code § 49.60.040(26).

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extension gender identity discrimination, is prohibited in public accommodation,168
employment,169 housing,170 labor unions,171 insurance,172 credit.173 Gender identity
discrimination in schools is also prohibited, as educational institutions are considered
public accommodations under Washington law.174
The housing non-discrimination provisions of Washington law do not apply to
homeowners who occupy a single family residence and own fewer than three such
residences,175 or to the renting of shared space.176
Washington’s employment non-discrimination statute is limited by the definition of
employer, which includes only those employers who employ eight or more employees,
and does not include religious or sectarian organizations.177
District of Columbia
The District of Columbia’s Human Rights Law defines gender identity or expression as
“a gender-related identity, appearance, expression, or behavior of an individual,
regardless of the individual's assigned sex at birth.”178 Discrimination based on actual or
perceived gender identity is prohibited in employment,179 housing,180 public
accommodations,181 education,182 motor vehicle insurance,183 access to government
facilities, services, programs or benefits,184 services for homeless individuals and
families,185 custody proceedings,186 insurance,187 and by companies providing
electricity.188

168
Wash. Rev. Code § 49.60.215.
169
Wash. Rev. Code § 49.60.180.
170
Wash. Rev. Code § 49.60.222.
171
Wash. Rev. Code § 49.60.190.
172
Wash. Rev. Code §§ 48.30-300, 49.60.178 (health insurance).
173
Wash. Rev. Code § 49.60.175.
174
Wash. Rev. Code § 49.60.040(2).
175
Wash. Rev. Code § 49.60.222(2).
176
Wash. Rev. Code § 49.60.222(7).
177
Wash. Rev. Code § 49.60.040(11).
178
D.C. Code § 2-1401.02(12A).
179
D.C. Code §§ 2-1402.11, 32-408.
180
D.C. Code § 2-1402.21.
181
D.C. Code § 2-1402.31.
182
D.C. Code § 2-1402.41.
183
D.C. Code § 2-1402.71.
184
D.C. Code § 2-1402.73.
185
D.C. Code § 4-754.21(10).

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Schools in the District of Columbia that are affiliated with a religious organization are
expressly permitted to discriminate against people or groups “that are organized for, or
engaged in, promoting, encouraging, or condoning any homosexual act, lifestyle,
orientation, or belief.”189
The District’s housing non-discrimination laws do not apply to certain transactions,
including those involving owner-occupied buildings with four units or less, and the sale
or rental of single family homes when the owner owns three or fewer single family
homes.190

186
D.C. Code § 16-914.
187
D.C. Code §§ 31-2231-11(c), 31-2231.13(d), 31-1603 (impermissible factors in determination by
insurance companies of likelihood that a person will develop AIDS).
188
D.C. Code § 43-1507.
189
D.C. Code § 2-1402.41(3).
190
D.C. Code § 2-1402.24.

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